This past Sunday was the ninety-second birthday of Nelson Mandela, the first person elected President (1994-1999) of South Africa in a democratic election. While this visionary leader has said and done much that is so memorable, there is one famous Mandela quote that always sticks with me. He said, “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

In the timeshare industry, we talk a lot about the opportunities of timeshare exchange – how you can vacation in a different destination every year, enjoy a one-bedroom timeshare unit this year during a romantic getaway for you and your spouse and then exchange for a three-bedroom timeshare next year and take all the kids as well as Grandma and Grandpa. You can vacation on a beach in the Bahamas this year and a ski chalet in Switzerland next year. Timeshare exchange makes vacation ownership infinitely flexible and is clearly one of the deciding factors for many people in choosing to become timeshare owners.

Yet there is also much to be said for, “returning to a place that remains unchanged.” Certainly when you vacation year after year at the same destination, you find the resort updated, amenities added and things changed in the surrounding cities and towns. But a backdrop of mountains is timeless. The ocean, while always changing, is in many ways a constant. The whiteness of the snow on your favorite ski run, the wind in the pines on the eighteenth tee, and the fragrance of wildflowers across the meadow are in many ways different, yet are always the same.

Your life moves forward. Your career may change, your children will grow, and your values and interests will evolve over time. But as President Mandela so sagely points out, the ebb, flow, and progression of your life will be the most measurable and self-evident during those times when you pause, return to places that have mattered in your past, and reconnect with moments that are everlasting.

Brooke Doucha, senior manager of corporate communications at Orange Lake Resorts offered some very sound insights in an article that appeared last week in RCI Ventures (Alert! Alert! Positive timeshare positioning is just 5 steps away.)

Like all search engine optimization-savvy businesses, Holiday Inn Vacations monitors Google Alerts, to stay current on what is being said and written about their resorts and other aspects of timeshares. Brooke wisely points out that many of the negative comments about timeshares that appear in the media are based on perceptions, while comments based on experience with timeshares are generally positive. In other words, some of the criticism you hear of timeshare has more to do with perception than with reality. Timeshares are not the right vacation choice for everyone, yet year after year, industry research validates that roughly 86 percent of timeshare owners are highly satisfied with vacation ownership.

In the end, no matter what the cause, everyone in the timeshare industry—whether they are timeshare sellers, developers, management companies, marketing companies, timeshare brokers, timeshare resales, or timeshare rental companies—shares the responsibility for changing any poor image that people may have about timeshares. And the only way to do this is to conduct business in ways that are transparent and above reproach and then to keep sharing that message in every possible way.

As Brooke points out, listing five ways that the timeshare industry can foster positive impressions, “we can make a difference and overcome these impressions.” Be sure you read her article at www.RCIVentures.com

Yes, the lines to the most popular attractions at Disney World’s theme parks in Orlando can be long, but experienced park-goers will tell you there are some ways to improve your park experience—including one strategy that you can only take advantage of if, you are staying in a Disney hotel or Disney Vacation Club timeshare.

1. When you enter a theme park in the morning hours, whether it is Animal Kingdom, the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, consider covering the park’s attractions in a clockwise pattern. In other words, when you go into the theme park, turn left. In North America, most people instinctively make a right turn into a theme park, even though all of the Disney parks are laid out in what is roughly a circular pattern and are equally enjoyable whether explored in a clockwise or a counterclockwise pattern. Go against the flow, and you will be ahead of the lines for at least 50 percent of your day.
2. Visit the most popular attractions during the times shows, parades, or even the fireworks are scheduled.
3. Take advantage of the single rider lines. The Rock ‘n Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom; and Test Track at Epcot all offer the single rider line. In this line, you and your party can wait in line together, but as single seats become available, you will be individually seated. You will all get onboard faster, just be sure you plan a place to meet and regroup after you individual finish the ride.
4. During selected seasons, on-property guests, which include anyone staying at a Disney Vacation Club timeshare, have access to extra park hours either before or after the park’s regular hours. This means that temperatures are usually cooler and lines are definitely shorter. You will need a valid theme park admission and your Walt Disney World Resort ID in order to take advantage of the extra hours in the park, which can be as long as one hour early in the morning and up to three hours extra in the evening.
5. Take advantage of FastPass… it really works! Go to your favorite rides early in the day, use your park admission ticket and obtain a FastPass. The FastPass will tell you at what time later in the day to return to the attraction for immediate boarding. Note that everyone in your part will need his or her own FastPass, but they are free and available to all park goers.

Enjoying the Disney World theme parks is on the to-do list for almost everyone who vacations in the Orlando area, but most people’s idea of fun does not include standing in long lines in the hot sun. Study a park map before you begin your day, and then take advantage of these five effective tips. You and your family want to spend the maximum amount of time oohing, ahhing, shrieking in delight, or just plain belly laughing during your Orlando timeshare vacation and a little preplanning can go a long way to making this happen.

This week, the Lennon Communications Group, (Fort Myers, Florida) launched its new corporate website. The 25-year old company sees the website (www.lennoncommunications.com) as an important tool for communicating the company’s message of top quality, personalized, and experienced public relations, marketing, and advertising services.

Lennon Communications Group, Inc., handles the public relations needs of companies in the fields of timeshare, vacation ownership, hospitality, real estate, interior design, food service, and construction. Blending new media and traditional approaches, Marge Lennon and her team take care of the image making and communication needs of companies, including Sell My Timeshare NOW, one of her newest clients.

We are proud to be working with Lennon Communications Group, and to have many of Sell My Timeshare NOW’s PR needs overseen by Marge, whose experience in the timeshare industry is both deep and broad. As Marge explains, “With over three decades of experience as a publicist and creative firm for some of the biggest names in the shared-ownership industry, we are uniquely qualified to provide communications services to benefit this market and its ancillary providers.”

You can find out more about Lennon Communications Group at their new website or by calling 239-482-3891.